Shock absorber



Feb, 9, 1932. E L, LEINBACH 1,844,326

SHOCK ABSORBER 'Filed Sept. l2, 1928 2 SheetS-Sheet 1 Fel). -95 1932. E.l.. LEINBACH SHOCK ABSORBER Filed Sept. l2, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 06Ztl-75.1.75

Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT ortica EDWARD L, LEINBACH7 0FCHICAGO, ILLINOIS; GLADYS LEINBILCH EXECU'IRIX OF SAID EDWARD L.LEINBACH, DECEAS'ED SHOCK ABSORBER Application filed September 12, 1928.Serial No. 305,427.

This invention relates to improvements in shock absorbers of thehydraulic type and one ci the objects ot the invention is to improve andsimplify the construction and ma terially reduce the cost of manufacturethereof and at the same time produce a compact device ot this characterwhich will be effective and eiiicient in operation.

.A further object is to provide a device of this character embodyingcylinder and piston members, the pistons remaining stationary While thecylinders are oscillatable with respect thereto.

Another object is to provide in a device of this character valvemechanism which may be constructed as a 'unitary element readilyremovable and iiitercliangeable so that the same device .may beconverted or changed to meet the existing or required conditions.

A lurther object is to provide an improved device of this character inwhich access may be readily had to the internal mechanism and at thesame time the parts will be so consti-noted and assembled that a `luidtight device will be produced.

To the attainment of these ends and the acomplishmi-ent of other new anduseful ob "ects s will appear, the invention consists in the teaturesr;ot iimelty in substantially the constructiom combination and arrangementet' the several parts hereinafter more Yl'ully described and claimed andshown in 'the accompanying drawings illustrating' this involition, andin which Figure 1 is a top plan view oi a shock absorber oi thischaracter constructed in ac cordnuce with the principles ot thisinvention.

Figure 2 a side elevation ot Figure l., with parts broken away and partsin section.

llligure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, with par omitted and withparts removed.

Figure l is an elevation oit one of the body members of the shockabsorber.

Figure 5 an elevation of the other body member.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 66, Figure 2.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the piston member.

Figure 8 is a detail horizontal sectional View taken on line 8MS, Figure6.

Figure 9 is an elevation of the valve element.

liigure 10 is an elevation oi' a detail of the valve construction.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings the numeral designates abody mein* ber which may be formed of any suitable ma terial and in anysuitable manner so as to provide an annular chamber 16 therein andopening through one side thereof and preterably seinirircular in crosssection.

The other body member 17 is also shaped to provide an annular Vchamber18 opening through one 'face thereof and send-circular in cross section.A portion of the inner wall of the chamber 18 is cut away as at 19 'fora purpose hereinafter described.

Within the chamber 1G is arranged a bearing member 20 which is formed ofany suitable material and is secured in position in any suitable mannerso as to extend across the chamber. The upper edge of the member 20preferably terminates short of the upper edge ot' the walls of thechamber 16 and is preferably recessed or cut away as at Q1, for apurpose to be set forth.

The members 15 and 17 are placed together with the open sides of thechambers 16 and 18 together so as to Yform an entirely closed andcontinuous cylinder divided into two piston chambers by the bearino' Q0.The peripheral diameter of the member 17 is preferably less than theperipheral diameter of the member l5 so that when the two members 15 and17 are placed together, the edge oii' the Wall oit' the member 17 willengage and rest against a circumferential shoulder 22 in the member 15.

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A cap 23 engages over the member 17 and also over the periphery or' themember 15 and the cap is removably secured in position in any suitablemanner, preferably by means of threads r24.

The cap 23 co-operating with the members 15 and 17, forms a reservoir oroil supply chamber 25 and this chamber has communication with the pistoncylinders formed by the chambers 16 and 18, by means of a suitableopening 26 in the wall of the chamber 18 so that liquid will flow fromkthe'reservoir chamber into the piston cylinders.

Arranged .within the cylinder :tormedby the' chambers 16 and 18 is apiston member 27'/ of a semi-circular configuration having pistons 28-29connected with the ends thereof, one of the pistons operating in each ofthe piston cylinders on opposite sides of the partition 20. This pistonmember 27 has connected with it an arm 30 which is preferably integralwith the piston element and passes through the opening 19 in the bodymember and is secured by one end preferably through the medium of anangular slot 31', to a bearing member 32, the latter being provided withan angular shaped portion 33 adapted to fit within the slot 31. Afastening device 34 and washer 35 are provided for securing the member32 and the arm 30 against separation.

` The body portion 15 is provided with kan opening` 33 therein throughwhich the bearing member 32 passes and about which member 32 thebodymember 15 together with the body member 18 and the cap 23 areVadapted to be oscillated.

This bearing member 32 is secured or anchored'to a iiXed support 36 bymeans of a suitable anchoring devicel 37, and packing 38 may be providedto form a iuid tight joint between the member 15 and the bearing member32.

The body members 15-17 and cap 23 are adapted to be oscillatedin anysuitable manner. such as by means of an arm 39 connected in any suitablemanner with one of the body members and when the body members are thusoscillated the pistons 27-28-29 l are held stationary.

One of the pistons 28-29 is located on each side of the bearing memberv20 and inter` posed between the pistons is a valve element designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 40 in Figure 9. This element 40 is ofan external diameter only slightlyfgreater than the internal diameter ofthe chambers 16 and 18 in the members 15V and 17. The ends 41 of thevalve elementare preferably tapered or otherwise formed to provide sharpedges 42, and the body portion intermediate the sharp edges are reducedas at 43 to form a space into which the'bearing member 20 Vprojects soas toV maintain the valve element against displacement lengthwise of thecylinders. The valve element 40 is placed in position by causing theedges 42 thereof to stand astride of the bearing member 20 and when thebody member 17 is placed in position with respect to the body member 15and the cover 23 adjusted upon the body member 15, the cover member 20will cause the sharp edges 42 of the valve element 40 to cut into or beembedded in the walls of the chambers 16 and 18 and thereby form fluidtight joints between the periphery of the valve element 40, and thewalls of the chambers 16 and 18.-

The element 40 is hollow and .arranged ytherein is a tubular member 44,the eXtremities 45 of ,which are provided with external ,threads7grooves or the like. VThe external diameter ofthe portion of the element44 intermediate the threads 45 is such that when the element 44 isplaced thereinto there will be formed a tight fit, the threads, orgrooves 45 forming a tortuous passage for the liquid, in a manner tobehereinafter set forth.

vrA groove -46 provided in the element 44 to form communication.betweenthe threaded portions 45 and an opening 47 is also provided in theelement 44 intermediateV the threaded portions 45. The valve element 40is provided with an opening 48 in the reduced portion 43 thereof so asto form communication between the chambers 16 and 18 and the interior ofthe element 44 through the medium of the groovesV 45 and 46 and theopening 48.r The element 44 is tubular and members 49-50 having openings51--52 respectively therein form closures for the ends thereof. Arrangedwithin the element 44 are bodily movable valve chamber members 53-54having openings 55-56 respectively in the bottoms thereof,prefera ly andrespectively in alinement with the openings 51-52. These `chambermembers 53-54 serve as safety valves, in a manner to be set forth..

A sn1nfr'57 is interposed between the valve l o i i chamber members 53land 54 and tends to hold the valve chamber members 53'and 54 againstthe respective end members 49 and 50.

Y Ball valves 58-59 are respectively providedin the chambers 53 and 54.and are adapted'to close the respective openings 55 and 56. but areprevented from closing the respective openings 51 and 52 preferably bymeans of projections 53a and 54a so that the structure'thus formed willconstitute a one way valve. lVhen pressure is exerted upon the liquid onone side of the valve element, the valve 58 will immediately close theopening 55.

YThe liquid will then be forced between the threads 45 on one end of themember 44, groove 46 and between the threads on the other end ofthemember 44, and the'low ofthe liquid will be restricted through such 'atortuous passage. T/Vhen, however, an abnormal pressure is exerted uponthe liquid and as the liquid cannot flow through such tortuous iso cesspressure, the pressure of the liquid upon the valve 58 will cause thechamber or relief valve to be unseated and the liquid will then 'liowaround the outside of the chamber or valve 53 and then through theopening` 55 in the other valve chamber 54, thence through the opening'5i?) to the other or suction side of the piston cl'iamber. lVhen thepressure upon the liquid is reduced to an extent that it will beovercome by the pressure or the sprin 57, the vulve chamber 53 will beautomatically seated and the liquid will l'low only through thercsiriciied tortuous passage.

lis soon as the direction oit' movement of the body portion of the shockabsorber is reversed the liquid will flow in the opposite di rection andthe other valves oil and 5S) will operate in the saine manner as thevalves 5S and 53. Thus it will be seen that as the pistons QS--QQ areheld stationary and as the body of the shock absorber is rocked back andforth, pressure and suction will be alternately exerted upon oppositesides or the valve element Zl0 to control the valves 58--59 and thevalve chambers 523-54, which latter also act as valves.

rlhe opening; 26 in the wall ot' the chamber i8 in the member 17 isprovided for the purpose oili supplying' liquid to the suction side tocompensate the loss of any liquid occesioned by seepage at any point inthe device and it will be noted that such opening 526 is arrane'edopposite the reduced portion i3 ot the valve element l0 and also hascommuniczdion with the opening* Ll? in the valve member Llll- The liquidwill 'How through these openings by reason of the suction created uponthe liquid by the suction in the l nder. The grooves or threads Il?) areprovided so as to produce an extended tortuous and restricted passagelter the liquid beinnj lorcod from one side olf the valve element -illtothe other side while the liquid is being ronuiressed, and therebycontrol the resistance pressure of" the liquid to the action of theoscillatable cylinder and stationary iiston members QSMQQ.

The cylinder and piston chambers en d the piston elen'ient S27 arecurved and are formi-id on radii described about a common center, and byreason of such arrangement a compact structure will be produced. @nepiston will 'lorce the liquid from its piston chamber to the otherpiston chamber, the suction created by the said other piston in itspiston chamber operates to leep the latter piston chamber filled withliquid.

lliith tl'iis improved construction it will be manifest that anextremely simple, cheap and compact device will be produced, and theparts of the cylinder may be termed of stamp inns. rlhe valve elementl() may be bodily rei-.iorer'l 'when desired and interchanged withanother similar valve element. ln order to accomplish this latter resultit is only necessary to remove the cover 23 vfrom the body member 15,after which the body member 17 may be lifted out of position s-o thataccess may be had to the element Ll0. This element may be then removedin any suitable manner and replaced by another similar element.

The sharp edges 42 of the element l() are pressed or forced into thewalls of the chambers 1G and l8 by forcing the cap 23 in position. Aiill opening 6() havinga suitable closure (not shown) may be provided asa means whereby liquid may be introduced into the cylinder formed by thechambers 16 and 18. Furthermore, with this improved construction a shockabsorber will be produced which will be comparatively thin in crosssection, thereby necessitatingI a minimum amount of space Jforinstallation.

`While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that various changes may be made inthe details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement otthe various parts, within the scope of: the claims, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

l/Vhat is claimed as new is:

l. A shock absorber embodying a divided cylinder formed of two opposedmembers having complementary annular recesses cooperating' to form acylinder, means securing the members together, a piston operable in thecylinder, and means whereby a relative movement may be imparted to thecylinder and piston element.

2. A shock absorber embodying a divided cylinder lormed of opposedmembers having complementary annular recesses cooperating` to form acylinder, means for securing the members together, a piston element, andspaced pistons connected with said element and operable in saidcylinder, said cylinder and said piston element being lormed on radiidescribed from a common center.

3. A shock absorber embodyino,` a divided cylinder formed of opposedmembers having complementary annular recesses cooperating to form acylinder, means for securing the members together, means dividing; thecylinder into two piston chambers and forming' a valved communicatingpassage between the chambers, and a piston element, the ends of said`element constituting pistons operable in the respective pistonchambers, said chambers and said piston element beingI formed on curvesdescribed from a common center.

4. A shock absorber embodyinnv a divided cylinder formed of opposedmembers having complementary annular recesses cooperating to form acylinder, means ttor members together, means dividingthe cylinder intotwo piston chambers and forming' a valved con'miunicatingi` passapjebetween the chanibers, a piston element, the ends oi? said elementconstituting pistons operable in the securingl the respective pistonchambers, said chambers and said piston element being formed on curvesdescribed from a common center, means for anchoring the piston element,and means for oscillating the cylinder about the said cent-er. Y

5. A shock absorber embodyingv a cylinder formed of two opposed membershaving curved endless complementary recesses cooperating to form acylinder, means securing the members together, a curved piston element,the ends of said elementconstituting spaced pistons operating inopposition to each other in said cylinder, and means for imparting arelative oscillatory movement to the cylinder and pistons, the saidrecesses and the said piston element being curved and formed on radiidescribed from a common center.

6. An hydraulic shock absorber embodying a divided cylinder formed oftwo members each having an endless recess therein opening through onetace thereof, means securing the members together with the open sides ofthe recesses coinciding to form a continuous and closed cylinder, apiston yelement operable in the cylinder, and means-for imparting arelative movement to the cylinder and pist-on one with relation to theother.

7. An hydraulic shock absorber embodying a cylinder formed of separatemembers having chambers provided with laterally open faces whereby whensaid members are placed together said chambers will form a pistonchamber, a cover member, said cover member cooperating with one of thevfirst said members for securing the parts together and also formingwith one of the members a reservoir chamber, a piston in the pistoncylinder, means for relatively moving the piston and cylinder, therebeing a communicating passage between the reservoir and pistoncylinders, and valve mechanism for controlling said passage,

8. An hydraulic shock absorber'embodying a pair oft cylinders arrangedend to end, there being` a communicating passage between the cylinders,valve mechanism for controlling said passage, a piston member, the endsof said member constituting pistons movable in the respective cylinders,means tor imparting a relative oscillatory movement to the pistons andcylinders, said valve mechanism embodying a casing and internal valvemechanism and adapted to be removed as a unitary element from saidcylinder, and means whereby access may be had to said valve element toremove the same.

9. An hydraulic shock absorber embodying a pair of cylinders arrangedend to end, there being a communicating passage between the cylinders,valve mechanism for controlling said passage, a piston member, the endsof said member constituting pistons movable in the respective cylinders,means for imparting arelative oscillatory movement to the pistons andcylinders, said valve mechanism embodying a casing and internal valvemechanism, said casing and valve mechanism adapted to be removed as aunitary element from said cylinder, said cylinders embodying separablemembers, and a cap member cooperating with one of the cylinder membersfor securing the cylinder members together, said cap member beingremovable to permit access to the said valve element.

10. An hydraulic shock absorber embodying a pair of cyl'inders arrangedend to end,

there being a communicating passage between theV cylinders, valvemechanism for controlling said passage, a piston member, the ends otsaid member constituting pistons movable in the respective cylinders`means for imparting a relative oscillatory movement to the pistons andcylinders, said valve mechanism embodyinga casing and internal valvemechanism, said casing and valve mechanism adapted to be removed as aunitary element from said cylinder, means for maintaining said valvemechanism from bodily movement as a unit lengthwise of the cylinder, andmeans whereby access may be had to said valve element to remove thesame.

1l. An hydraulic shock absorber embodying cylinder members havingannular open recesses therein adapted to be placed face to face to forma cylinder, a unitary valve device insertable and removable from saidcylinderand extending thereacross to divide the cylinder into two pistonchambers, said valve device embodying a. casing having` a passagetherethrough anda valve device for controlling the passage, pistonsoperable 1n the respective piston chambers and on opposite sides of saidvalve device, means securing the cylinder members together forseparation, and means for imparting relative oscillatory movement to thecylinders and pistons. y l2. An hydraulic shoclr absorber embodyingcylinder members having annular open recesses therein adapted to beplaced face to face to form a cylinder, a unitary valve deviceinsertable and removable from said cylinder andextending thereacross todivide the cylinder into two piston chambers, said valve deviceembodying a casing having` a passage therethrough and a valve device forcontrolling the passage, pistons operable in the respective pistonchambers and on opposite sides of said valve device, a cover memberoperating to secure the cylinder members together tor separation, saidcover member constituting a. portion oi a reservoir chamber, therebeing` a communication between the reservoir chamber and said pistonchambers, and means for imparting relative oscillatory lIornovements tothe pistons and piston chamers.

An hydraulic shock absorber embodying two members each having an annularrecess opening through one tace thereof, said members adapted to beplaced lace to face to causo said recesses to cooperate to form acylinder, means sepafably securing said members together, a valve deviceembodying as a unitary structure a casing having a valved passagetherethrough, said valve device being removably secured in the cylinderand extending thereacross, and a piston member in the cylinder, the endof the piston member forming pistons operable in the cylinder onopposite sides oi said valve device, the piston and cylinder elementsbeing one anchored to a lined support and the other being iroelyoscillatable.

li. in hydraulic shoclr absorber embodying two members each having anannular cess opening 'through one it ce thereo'l', said nieinbcrsadapted to be placed lace to iface to ci use said recesses to cooperateto iform a cylinder, means separably securing said members together, avalve device embodying as a unitary structure a. casing having a valvedpassage therethrough, said valve device bein removably secured in thecylinder and extending` thereacross, a piston memberI in the cylinder,the end of the piston member orming pistons operable in the cylinder onopposite sides or said valve device, the piston and cylinder elementsbeing one anchored to a lined support and the other being relativelyoscillatable, a reservoir chamber, and a communication between thereservoir chamber and the said cylinder' on opposite sides ot the saidvalve device.

l5. in hydraulic shock absorber' embodyf j two members each having arecess openl' through one tace thereoit and adapted to be placedtogether to cause the recesses to cooperate torni a cylinder, a covermehr ber removably engaging one of the iirst said members ttor securingthe parts together, a valve element embodying a casing and valvemechanism therein, said element being insertable into the casing andremovable therefrom as a unitary structure and intending across thecylinder, a piston elem ent operable in the cylinder, the ends of saidpiston element operating on opposite sides of said valve element, ineansior anchoring the piston elem-ent and means iler oscillating saidcylinder with respect to the piston element.

lli. A hydraulic shock absorber embodyingl two members each having arecess openii g through one lace thereof and adapted to be placedtogether to cause the recesses to cooperate to lorm a cylinder, a covermember removably engaging one of the first said members i'or securingthe parts together, a valve element embodying a casing and valvemechanism therein, said element being insertable into the casing andremovable therefrom as a unitary structure and extending across thecylinder, a piston element operable in the cylinder, the ends of saidpiston element operating on opposite sides of said valve element, an armconnected with the piston element and extending through a slot in thewall of said cylinder, and means for anchoring said arm, the saidcylinder being ifreely oscillatable with respect to the said pistonelement.

l'i'. An hydraulic shock absorber embodying two cylinder members eachhaving a r icess therein opening through one face thereof and adapted tobe placed together to canse the recesses to form a cylinder, a valveelement embodying as a unitary structure a body portion and a valvedpassage therethrough, said element being insertable into and removablefrom the cylinder member as a single unit, means for maintaining thevalve unit against bodily displacement lengthwise ot' the cylinder,means tor separably securing the cylinder members together, and a pistonoperable in the cylinder.

i8. An hydraulic shock absorber embodying two cylinder members eachhaving a recess therein opening through one Yface thereo'f and adaptedto be placed together to cause the recesses to iorm a cylinder, a valveelement embodying as a unitary structure a body portion and a valvedpassage therethrough, said element being insertable into and removablefrom the cylinder member as a single unit, cutting edges carried by andencompassing a portion of said body portion and adapted to be embeddedinto the wall of the cylinder when the cylinder members are forcedtogether, to form a fluid tight joint between the valve element and thecylinder wall, and a piston operable in the cylinder.

19. An hydraulic shock absorber embodying two cylinder members eachhaving a recess therein opening through one face thereof and adapted tobe placed together to cause the recesses to form a cylinder, a valveelement embodying as a unitary structure a body portion and a valvedpassage therethrough, said element being insertable into and removablefrom the cylinder member asa single unit, cutting edges `carried by andencompassing a portion of said body' and adapted to be embedded `intothe wall of the cylinder when the cylinder members are forced together,to form a lluid tight joint between the valve element and the cylinderwall, additional means for maintaining the valve element against bodilydisplacement lengthwise of the cylinder, and a piston operable in thecylinder.

20. in hydraulic ,shock absorber embodying cylinder members each havingan endless recess opening through one face thereof, said members adaptedto be placed face to Jface to cause said recesses to form a closedcylinder, a piston element, pistons connected with the ends of saidelement and operable in the cylinder, a cap member for securing thecylinder together, a valve device in said cylinder between said pistonsand insertable into and removable from the cylinder as a unitarystructure, when the cylinder members are separated.

2l.y An hydraulic shock absorber embodying cylinder members each havingan endless recess opening through one face thereof and adapted to beplaced face to face to cause said recesses to form a cylinder, a pistonelement, pistons carried bythe ends of said element and operable in thecylinder, a cap member for securing the cylinder members together, avalve device in said cylinder between the pistons and insertable intoand removable from the cylinder as a unitary structure, when thecylinder members are separated, a portion of the said valve devicebeingembedded into the cylinder wall by the pressure of the cylinder membersupon the valve device as the cylinder members are forced together. i

22. An hydraulic shock absorber embodying cylinder members each havingan endless recess opening through one .face thereof and adapted to beplaced face toV face to cause said recesses to Jform a cylinder, apiston element, pistons carried by the ends of said element and operablein the cylinder, a cap member for securing the cylinder memberstogether, a valve device in said cylinder Vbe-l tween the piston andinsertable into and removable from the cylinder as a unitary structure,when the cylinder members are separated, a portion of the periphery ofthe valve unit being shaped to form a cutting edge adapted to beembedded in the cylinder wall as the cylinder members are forcedtogether.

23. A shock absorber embodying a divided cylinder formed' of two membershaving annular recessestherein opening through one face. thereof, meansVsecuring the members together-with the open sides of the recessesco-inciding torform a closed cylinder,` opposed. pistons-operating inthe cylinder, and a valve device in the cylinder` between said pistonsfand insertable into andY removable from the cylinder asa unitarystructure when the cylinder members are separated.

24. A shock absorber embodying a divided cylinder formed of two membershaving annular recessestherein opening through one face thereof, meanssecuring the members together with the open sides of the recessesco-inciding to Jform a closed cylinder, op-

posed pistons operating in the cylinder, and

a valve device in the cylinder between said pistons and insertable intoand removable from the cylinder as a unitary structure when the cylindermembers areseparated, the said valve device being maintained againstbodily displacement lengthwise of the cylinder. 1 Y

25. An hydraulic shock-absorber embodying an annular chamber, opposedpistons operable in the chamber, double acting valve mechanismintermediate the pistons, and means for imparting a relative movement to.the chamber and pistons one with relation to the other to cause thevalve to operate Ete

